Friday, June 25, 2010

Woman Dies in Second SoCal Train Crash

A woman died at the scene of a Metrolink train crash in Covina hours after a man was also hit and killed by a freight train in Oceanside early Wednesday morning.

The woman was yet to be identified but it is said that she was trespassing the property and was on a restricted area when she was hit by the train carrying more than a hundred passengers. No one else was reportedly injured in the accident.

The Metrolink train was heading to the Union Station in Los Angeles from San Bernardino. The passengers were eventually transported by bus as the train blocked Covina’s intersection of Glendora and Glenn avenues. The train services continued a few hours after the accident.

Pedestrians should be cautious when crossing train tracks and should never go to restricted areas where their presence is not expected.

Tuesday, June 8, 2010

Woman Killed in Rollover and Multi-Vehicle Crash

On state Route 125 in San Diego, a 25-year-old woman was killed and two other motorists were injured in a multi-vehicle crash.

The accident happened at about 8:40 AM. It occurred when the female driver suddenly lost control of her Ford Explorer causing her to cross the center divide and meet the oncoming freeway traffic head-on.

According to the California Highway Patrol (CHP), the woman’s SUV flipped and landed right on top of a silver Chrysler PT Cruiser, rolled over and collided with a Border Patrol Jeep Wrangler.

The driver of the PT Cruiser, a 48-year old woman had to be airlifted from the scene due to her injuries. An on-duty agent was driving the marked jeep and was taken to Mercy Hospital for further treatment.

The driver of the Ford Explorer SUV however, died at the scene. According to the CHP, preliminary investigation shows that there was no evidence that drugs or alcohol were a factor in the fatal crash.

Driver Error or behavior is one of the leading causes of motor vehicle accidents. While generally, people often pin the blame on the road conditions, a car defect or even on the other driver for having caused the crash, the truth is, most car accidents are caused by the driver’s own negligence.

Even if the driver is driving sober and free from the influence of either drugs or alcohol, if he is distracted (texting while driving, putting on make-up, etc.) or drowsy or even just because he is speeding, he may be considered negligent.

When the driver also fails to follow traffic rules and signals, fails to yield, and operates his vehicle recklessly or aggressively, he would likely be held responsible for having caused an accident or collision.

Accidents don’t just happen as an “act of God” – most are often caused by the fault or negligence of people.

If you are injured in a car accident or if you lost someone to a crash, you have the right to recover damages for any expenses or loss you suffered because of it. But don’t expect to get compensation so easily, a lot of defendants (even if they are negligent) would refuse to acknowledge their fault so it would be advisable for you to hire a car accident attorney if you wish to pursue your claim.

Wednesday, June 2, 2010

Bus Driver Reported Drunk by Passenger, Arrested

Drivers and operators of bus companies should make sure that passengers will be taken to their destination safely as they will be shouldered with heavier penalty for any accident that they may cause.

A 40-year-old bus driver was recently arrested after a passenger reported him to the Sheriff’s Department on suspicions of drunk driving near Calle Magdalena.

The bus was reportedly heading east on Encinitas Boulevard at about 4:30 pm when the passenger made the call to the department that may have saved them from an accident caused by intoxication.

Responding deputies reported that the man was showing signs of being intoxicated and that he driver was arrested after a field sobriety test has been conducted.

Drivers should never put themselves and their passengers at risk by driving while drunk. The bus driver should have never underestimated his responsibility to the company and to the passengers that he is to transport.